


Devoted

by dorkpatroller



Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Body Swap, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Ruined proposals actually, day of devotion
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-21
Updated: 2019-02-21
Packaged: 2019-11-01 19:05:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,809
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17873057
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dorkpatroller/pseuds/dorkpatroller
Summary: Leo accidentally casts a spell that swaps his body with Niles. It’s only temporary, but the ball is tonight and Leo accidentally finds something he wasn’t meant to find.





	Devoted

**Author's Note:**

> This was a valentines gift for my deer friend xoxo

_ What in the world have I done, _ Leo thinks to himself while he stares anxiously in front of him. Looking at himself. Moments ago he was facing the other way, staring at Niles, but now he’s standing where Niles stood and he’s staring at  _ himself _ . 

 

It’s such a foreign thought that he could somehow mess up a spell  _ this badly _ . He hasn’t made mistakes like this since he was young. He watches his own body--but it’s poor Niles inside of it--suck in an anxious breath. Before he can even speak Leo lifts his hands. It’s so… different. Not only the color of his skin--although admittedly it’s jarring to try and comprehend that these are  _ his _ hands--but the shape of his arms and the way they feel against his body. Nonetheless, he lifts his hands and holds them cautiously in front of Niles. "This is temporary." 

 

His voice is wrong. That’s  _ Niles’s voice _ and it’s wrong to hear it out loud when he’s the one doing the talking.

 

Niles drops his mouth open in a startled ‘o’ shape. “H-How--What?” He asks. Gods, it’s even stranger to hear  _ Niles _ speak using  _ Leo’s _ voice. 

 

“This wasn’t my intention, but that doesn’t mean it’s anything more than an inconvenience. This sort of magic is temporary and it  _ will _ wear off by morning.” 

 

“M-Morning!” Niles sputters with Leo’s lips. “ _ Milord,  _ you have a ball to attend  _ tonight.” _

 

Oh. Yes. Leo crosses his arms around his chest and tries to think up a suitable response to that, but for ten whole seconds, all he can think about is how Niles even operates with this broad of a  _ chest _ . Then he starts to blush and he can feel it creeping up to his cheeks so he clears his throat. 

 

Tonight is the annual ball for the Day of Devotion. It's commonplace for the castle to host public events like this, but of all of them, this one is Leo's least favorite by a landslide. Each year leading up to the event there are various competitions and tournaments, and the winners earn the right to dance with the  _ single _ members of the royal family.

 

Leo hates it. He hates every moment of it. He doesn’t much prefer to be in the company of people he’s unfamiliar with and he certainly doesn’t prefer to dance with them. That said, if there’s anyone in this universe who feels like that more than he does, it’s Niles. 

 

Their eyes meet. It’s odd. Leo finds himself  _ missing _ being in his own body, if only because he misses the beautiful look of Niles’s eye. Ah--speaking of, he realizes that it’s not at all bothering him to only have the one. He reaches up and touches the patch over his eye, and when he blinks Niles has his hand on his wrist. 

 

“No peeking,” Niles says. It’s wrong. His voice is wrong, trying to coo like that with Leo’s tones. “It would spoil all the fun, yeah?”

 

Leo isn’t quite sure what would be fun about that. “I need to find Odin,” He decides. “I can’t feel any of the magic I need in this...body. I can’t do it myself. I’m not certain, but perhaps he can reverse the spell sooner, despite not being the caster.” He looks at the door, and then at Niles. “You need to… get me dressed for the ball.” 

 

Niles’s face falls. It’s clear that he’s digesting the information: if Odin fails to reverse the spell he’s being ordered to attend in Leo’s stead. He nods his head and turns to fetch the clothes from the closet. “It was bad enough when I had to  _ watch it,” _ he mutters as he does. Leo doesn’t know what to do with those words, and so he doesn’t respond to them.

 

Instead Leo, still uncomfortably in Niles’s body, slips out of the room to find Odin. He’s incredibly thankful to bump into him just as he’s walking out of his room. “Odin,” He says. 

 

"Niles the Moon Watcher! I'm surprised to see you here, I thought you would be with Lord Leo." Oh. Well, of course, Odin thinks he's Niles. He's looking right at Niles's body, by all means. Leo curls his lips into a frown. 

 

Odin is off duty for the festival. Niles is too, actually, but every year he tends to stay close to Leo’s side anyway. Niles has never said why, and Leo has never asked. He appreciates having him there to scare off some potential  _ suitors.  _

 

"Go back in your room, please. I need to speak with you," Leo says. He watches Odin's face draw into a confused expression… but then he shrugs his shoulders and turns to unlock the door to his room for them. Odin's room is nothing extraordinary. The quarters for retainers come in many shapes and sizes. Odin is unmarried and has no children, so this is simply a larger room with a small sitting area, a corner off to the side to be used as a study, and his bed. There's furniture to fill it, a large closet… it's nicer than most servant quarters, but nothing to be proud of either, Leo supposes. Niles's is very similar, with some of the furniture arranged differently. 

 

When they’ve entered and the door is closed, Leo sighs. “I’m not Niles, Odin. I’m Leo--I’ve accidentally swapped our places.” It would sound unbelievable, except that it’s not an uncommon spell. Odin has begged to practice it once or twice before, and Leo has always asked him to steel himself and remember that they have more important things to do than play games. 

 

Perhaps that’s why Odin looks miffed, for a moment. “How… M-Milord? If this is true, how did you cast such an incantation… on accident?” 

 

“Distraction, Odin. Now please: This body doesn’t have enough magic skill for me to reverse the spell myself, and attempting to teach Niles how to use mine could prove more dangerous than not. Do you think you can reverse it?” 

 

Odin stands and circles him. Leo finds himself rolling his eyes. “Is this the sort of thing Niles would joke about, with you, Odin? Perhaps I should have a word with him.” 

 

"Er, no! It's just… The way that you carry yourself, my lord! Your stance is entirely different from his own, and to see you perform such a stance in Niles's body… How interesting!" Odin has his chin gripped in his hand while he talks. Leo suddenly feels a touch more self-conscious. He's not  _ standing _ correctly? Though he supposes that’s true. He’s got his hands folded behind his back and his feet together. His back is straight and shoulders square. Niles does tend to look a hint more casual. 

 

“I should… change my posture?” 

 

“Of course not! It’s only that I found it interesting. Though if you simply set your legs apart at shoulder-width and maybe loosely folded your arms…” 

 

“Do you often find yourself staring at the way Niles or I stand?” Leo asks. Odin barks out an awkward laugh and then turns around to examine his bookcase.

 

“I think I have just the book to help me reverse a spell I didn’t cast,” he says. “Don’t worry another moment, milord.” 

 

Leo  _ is _ quite worried, actually. He sighs and runs his hands through his hair. It's a habit of his own that he exercises with caution because he doesn't prefer to appear disheveled in public. When he does it now he realizes it's  _ Niles’s _ hair. He’s had daydreams of pushing his fingers through these waves, but none of them were like  _ this _ . 

 

He closes his eye and breathes in a slow, calming breath. On the exhale he makes sure it’s a steady stream out of his nose. He can’t afford to waste time thinking about the smoothness of Niles’s hair. So as an alternative to that he pushes his hands into the pockets of his pants.

 

“Have you found it yet?” Leo asks. Odin shakes his head while he pulls down a tome. He has many spellbooks, some he can’t even use. He’s told Leo before that he enjoys having them, simply to feel the power tucked within. 

 

“I wonder if it was the book I recently allowed Nyx to borrow…” 

 

Leo sighs again, but it’s interrupted. There in the pocket of Niles’s pants his fingertips catch on something. It’s tucked so far into the corner of the pocket he nearly thought nothing was there at all. Once he finds it though, the shape isn’t hard to distinguish. 

 

He fiddles with a ring for a moment before he pulls it from his pocket and properly admires it. Nothing too terribly special. The materials appear genuine, the quality is nice, but it’s fairly simple. It’s a gold band with some sort of knotted flourish engraved into it. The front has a single emerald--or perhaps it’s jade--embedded into it. 

 

“Aha! I think I’ve found--Ah!” Odin turns to look at Leo. He has a book in his hand and Leo’s attention is automatically drawn to it. Then Odin yelps as if he’s seen a ghost and Leo raises his brow. “W-Where did you get that?!” 

 

“This?” Leo asks. He pinches the ring between his fingers and holds it up until Odin confirms with a nod. “Is it something special?” He asks. He tries, but it doesn’t fit past the knuckle on Niles’s finger. It probably isn’t his. 

 

Odin is silent, but at least he’s beginning to compose himself. 

 

“Odin. Do you know what this is?” He asks again. 

 

“No!” Odin shifts between his feet uncomfortably. “Er--no. I… no.” 

 

“You would be a fool to lie to me, Odin. I won’t ask a third time.” Leo doesn’t often feel that Odin lies to him. He’s always been open and honest. What’s so horrible he can’t tell him, now?

 

Thankfully he doesn’t need any extra convincing. “I believe Niles intended to gift that to you. Tonight, perhaps, if he was carrying it.” Odin looks ashamed of himself the moment he says it. Leo almost feels guilty asking him to… but not that guilty. 

 

“To me?” He confirms.

 

Odin looks visibly hesitant. “To… swear his life to you.” 

 

Leo raises up his brow. Well, Niles's brow anyway. "He's already sworn his life to mine," Leo says. "Are you trying to suggest…" Now Leo is the one who doesn't know what to say. He's not an entire fool, of course. Today is the Day of Devotion, and there has always been something there between them, waiting to be addressed, it's just... "Odin, what  _ are _ you trying to suggest? That Niles confided this in you, and he’s been planning this for some time?” 

 

Odin sways on his feet. “Milord, I believe this matter of the heart should be discussed with the man whom it concerns,” He says. Then, softer, “You weren’t meant to find that.” 

 

Leo tucks the ring back into his pocket. He closes his mouth. Odin is right, after all. He wasn’t meant to know about this ring, but now it’s stuck on his mind.  _ Is _ it supposed to symbolize something platonic and stable, such as the bond of a retainer to his liege? Then why gift it on the Day of Devotion? Alternatively, if it is meant to symbolize a more traditional devotion… what is he asking of Leo? A ring is very presumptuous. A ring is a claim in the shape of an unending loop. Is he asking Leo to marry him? Or, in the very least, is he asking him to marry him  _ eventually _ ?

 

Only in Leo’s dreams, typically. “Milord?” Odin asks. Leo looks up, expecting him to have found the book. “I don’t think I have the spell we need. I’ll need some more time to track it down.” 

 

Leo is almost thankful. Odin obviously feels guilty for sharing a secret entrusted to him by Niles, and there’s a part of  _ Leo  _ that feels guilty too. It’s festering in the back of his mind. “Please keep me updated, I’d like to spare Niles from dancing with party guests,” He says. Odin smiles for just a moment, but then he nods his head. Leo steps back out into the hall. 

 

He's not walked far when he leans against the stone walls with one shoulder and pulls the ring from his pocket to look at again. He thought it was nothing impressive when he first looked at it, and perhaps that's why he feels guilty. But now, knowing what it is and what it stands for, Leo properly adores it. It's simple, but the materials  _ are _ genuine. Niles--his Niles--went out of his way to have someone craft a ring out of proper gold and emerald just to give to Leo. He would have had to put money aside for it, plan it in secrecy, slip away to the city to have it prepared. It’s probably perfectly sized to Leo’s finger, knowing Niles’s uncanny ability to figure out anything he wants. 

 

Niles spent time, effort, and devotion on this and Leo feels guilty for thinking it was nothing special at first. And it’s his own fault! Had he not found it, had he been presented with it the way he was meant to be, he would have certainly loved it at first sight… because he would have known all the work Niles put into it before he saw it. 

 

It’s a perfectly fine ring, and Leo is a monster for ruining a proposal that hasn’t even happened yet. His heart throbs in his chest and he pushes it back into his pocket once more. 

 

By the time he makes it back to his room, Niles is already dressed. Which is saying something, because it would have taken Leo at least an hour on his own. It’s stupid. Looking at his own body wearing his own clothes--he wishes he could be looking at  _ Niles _ again. He closes the door to his bedchamber and sets himself down to sit on the side of the bed. Niles is buttoning the cuffs of his sleeves. 

 

“Odin wasn’t able to help?” He asks. 

 

"Not yet," Leo mumbles. He watches Niles hesitate in what he's doing. He leaves the cuff incomplete so he can walk closer. The outfit Leo was being forced to wear to that ball is ridiculous. It's white and pink for the most part, with a few black accents here and there to make it even slightly tolerable. The shirt has shoulder pads with ropes and cords, and the boots that accompany it climb past Leo's knees. The pants have a dramatic  _ poof _ to them where they tuck in… Gods, he’s worn it several years in a row, now, with only minimal stylistic updates by the tailors. He hates it. 

 

He supposes the silver lining to this is that Niles is the one forced to wear it this time, and he’ll be able to wear whatever it is Niles intended to wear to this event--which is most often just a vest and slacks. 

 

"You said it will be over with by morning," Niles reminds him. He looks like he wants to set his hand on Leo's shoulder, and he even raises it for a moment… but then he pulls it back into his own chest and Leo can't fault him for that. 

 

It must be odd to try and put his hand on his  _ own _ shoulder, after all. Leo isn’t sure he could do it either. “At the very latest,” Leo agrees. “Odin is searching for an alternative in the meantime, and I… suppose I owe you an apology. It wasn’t my intention to do this to you at all.” 

 

“There are worse things in life than this,” Niles chuckles. “I’m thankful it was me, I suppose. Imagine if you had swapped with Odin? He would make a fool of you at the ball.” 

 

Leo chuckles under his breath. Odin would behave, he’s sure, but the imagery of him using Leo’s body to flail around and talk about epic tales  _ is _ quite funny. Niles settles on the side of the bed with him and sits so close that their arms brush. It’s easier that way. If Leo closes his eye and pretends, they’re in their normal bodies. It’s just the two of them sitting together, preparing for a dreadful evening.

 

“What did you mean before, when you said that it was bad enough to watch over me at the ball?” He asks, abruptly. He has a feeling he knows, now, but he still asks. Niles hesitates… and then he shifts to finish buttoning that cuff. 

 

“You hate dancing at this ball,” he says, “And I hate watching you inflict suffering on yourself. That’s all.” 

 

“I see,” Leo says. Maybe he was wrong? Frankly, maybe Odin was wrong. Maybe that ring is just… some ring Niles found on the ground. Maybe Niles never meant to give it to anyone, let alone Leo. 

 

“We don’t have much time left,” Niles says, “Let’s get you to my room to get you dressed. I don’t trust you to put the vest on right-side out.” 

 

…

 

Odin is nowhere to be seen at the ball, which either means he's slacking off or that he's diligently trying to find a counterspell. Leo is dressed in clothes that aren't that uncomfortable, though he did spend ten minutes arguing with Niles about how many buttons should be left undone. Leo truly loves to see Niles's low cut shirts, but actually wearing them himself feels like he's exposing himself. 

 

He's got Niles's bow slung over his shoulder, but it's staying there. He has never been trained in archery, and he's not sure he could even hold an arrow let alone shoot it. He'll just have to hold out hope that nothing and no one seeks to ruin this festival. 

 

Niles is clearly miserable. He's had to dance with three young women so far. He's been very well behaved. For each woman, he's bowed politely to meet her curtsy. He's kissed the back of her hand and offered a smile. He's danced with flawless grace--Leo has never seen Niles dance before. He didn't think he knew how. Leo is feeling rather jealous… and despite what Niles gave as his answer, Leo is sure that’s why he dislikes attending this ball too.

 

Leo steps out onto one of the many balconies that come off the ballroom. The night sky is full of twinkling stars and pink, paper lanterns that partygoers have been burning. Maybe he has a better understanding now of why Niles hates this festival. 

 

Leo has always hated it because he’s never been interested in dressing like a fool and dancing with strangers. Niles hates it because he hates watching  _ Leo _ dance with strangers. And perhaps his original intention for tonight was to remedy that. 

 

After all, if he weren’t single, he wouldn’t be subjected to this. 

 

He still has the ring with him. He moved it from the pocket of Niles’s striped pants and into the pocket of these. When he pulls it out to admire this time, the stone bounces the starlight and lantern light around. It’s awfully pretty. 

 

What would it be like to marry Niles? There’s nothing standing in their way, not really. Maybe the only thing that was stopping them was their decision not to confess to one another. It’s been quite obvious for years now that there’s something more meaningful than friendship between them. They just never… said it.

 

Maybe Niles was afraid. Leo knows he worries about his past, the people who used to make up his inner circle, and how they would impact Leo. Or maybe Niles isn’t to blame. Leo has no excuses not to have told Niles how he feels, yet.

 

“What are you doing with that?” Niles asks. It’s almost unfamiliar, in Leo’s voice, but that doesn’t stop Leo from nearly dropping the ring over the balcony. He catches it with a gasp and then brings it close to his chest for safe-keeping. 

 

It’s been an incredibly difficult evening. Figuring out how to behave at least slightly like Niles, talk like him,  _ respond _ to his name… dropping his ring to never be found again would ruin it completely. 

 

It's safe, though, and Niles breathes a sigh of relief. Leo clears his throat but doesn't move his hands--or the ring--away from his chest. "What are you doing out here? People will wonder where you are. Or where I am, that is." 

 

“Following you around to keep you out of trouble is my job, milord,” Niles answers. He folds his arms. “Perhaps I’m babysitting this body, but the  _ important _ parts of you aren’t currently in it.” 

 

That's surely some kind of backward compliment, but Leo finds it to be a small annoyance. He takes a breath and pushes the ring into Niles's hands. It's better he takes it away, maybe then Leo will stop dwelling on it. Niles looks down and cradles it in his palm, in Leo's palm, and then he looks back up with a frown.

 

There's silence between them before Leo says "I forced Odin to tell me what it is." 

 

Niles chokes. “You  _ what? _ And he did?” 

 

“Reluctantly. Try to forgive him, I was very demanding,” Leo says. He watches while Niles plays with the ring. He flips it along his fingertips. “He refused to tell me everything about it, of course. He asked me to confront you about it directly.” 

 

“And then you nearly threw it over the balcony,” Niles clicks his tongue. “Forget you ever found this.” 

 

“Niles,” Leo says, “I will not.” 

 

“This isn’t the way it’s supposed to  _ go!”  _  Niles groans. “It was meant to be at least  _ slightly _ romantic, and--” 

 

“I’ve found you at last!” Odin shouts. Niles and Leo both turn their attention towards him, and he glances down at the ring that Niles is playing with. “Oh.” 

 

“And Odin  _ certainly _ isn’t supposed to be here,” Niles goes on to say. He lowers his voice. “Just  _ forget it _ and give me another chance, later.” 

 

Leo is quiet. Odin is quiet. Niles won’t say anything else… and so Odin clears his throat. “I, er… I have a spell to…” 

 

“Please, Odin,” Leo says. He pushes his fingertips against his temples and squeezes his eye shut. “Just cast the spell.” 

 

…

 

Odin is already retreating by the time Leo has gathered his bearings. His head is woozy, but when he opens his eyes he’s looking at  _ Niles _ again… and that’s the most soothing sight in this world. He takes a deep breath in and out and rolls his shoulders. He’s not a fan of this outfit at all, and…

 

Oh. That ring is in his hand. The one he can't stop thinking about, the one Niles was just playing with when he was in Leo's body. He looks down at it… and then swiftly decides to tug the white glove off of his left hand with his teeth. He holds the glove there, dangling by just one empty finger, while he slides the ring into place on his ring finger. It does, as expected, fit perfectly. 

 

He startles when Niles reaches out and tugs the glove out from between Leo’s teeth. Maybe he should be angry, but he has a little smile on his lips. “Are you alright, milord? Perhaps you’re not thinking straight.” 

 

Leo shakes his head. “I’m thinking perfectly fine,” he says. “And I absolutely refuse to forget this and let you start over. In fact, I think you should let me give it a try, first.” 

 

Niles lets his arms hang at his sides and he looks fairly defeated. It brings a smile to Leo’s lips. He glances at the ring on his hand again, with the emerald glowing in the light of the Festival of Devotion. Then he slides his hands into Niles’s. 

 

"I can't be perfectly sure what it is you wanted to ask of me with this ring," Leo admits, "But I want to ask you to marry me. Maybe not right away, we can take our time if you'd prefer… but surely. I want this to be the last Day of Devotion I spend dancing with people I have no interest in when I could be dancing with you instead." 

 

“I believe  _ I _ was the one who danced with them, milord,” Niles says. His lips draw up into a curled smile. Leo is preparing his snarky comeback, but then Niles hugs him. He squeezes him tight around his chest and it knocks the wind out of Leo in the best way. He gasps to suck in any air at all, and then he swings his arms up to hold Niles, too. 

 

"Then I owe you a dance," Leo mumbles back. After a few seconds, Niles lets his arms loose and Leo could walk away, but he stays there with his head leaned against Niles. He's still very sorry this happened, he knows Niles didn't want to pretend to be him all evening for party goers.

 

Niles shifts his arms to wrap along the outside of Leo’s shoulders, just holding him there while he sags against him. The rest of the world can wait just a few minutes longer. “How did you intend to present that to me?” He asks after a moment.

 

“While you were putting on your clothes for the evening and complaining about the party,” Niles says. His voice is low, so soft, and he lays his cheek on top of Leo’s head. “On my knee, properly, and without Odin spying on us from across the way.” 

 

Leo smiles. He closes his eyes for a moment… but then he sits back and squeezes Niles’s shoulders. “I take this all to mean that you do  _ want _ to be my husband, don’t you? That we’re finally coming to terms with all of this?” 

 

This being the years and years of silent affection. Sleepy cuddles and playful swats and meaningful gazes that they’ve simply ignored because they were fooling themselves into believing it was easier. 

 

Niles obviously nods his head. Why wouldn't he? He's the one who bought the ring. Leo just swooped in and stole his proposal. Perhaps he should feel guilty about that, but he doesn't. "Good. Then we should return to the party so I can make a proper announcement… tonight seems like a very appropriate time to do so." He turns to start to walk away, but Niles pulls him back by his wrist. When Leo looks at him over his shoulder he jerks his arm, until Leo is stumbling back into Niles's embrace.

 

He leans down to give him a slow kiss, and Leo sighs happily. He should have done this first, actually. He was so swept up with guilt and relief and being thankful he’s in his right body that it nearly didn’t cross his mind. He’s a lucky man to have a fiance who would never let him forget. He tilts his head just so that their lips slot together easier. Niles cards his fingers through Leo’s hair, but it feels like he’s pulling him closer. 

 

Leo’s hands don’t know what to do. He’s not an expert kisser, but he knows he doesn’t want Niles to stop--to ever stop--so he settles on holding his face. He rubs his thumb along the ever so slight stubble. He smiles wider than he means to, so much that Niles laughs and their kiss ends too soon.

 

This festival is such a wonderful occasion for people who are in love. They have an entire evening meant simply to celebrate the devotion between them. “Marry me,” Leo says in a hush. Niles kisses the apple of his cheek, and Leo blinks his eyes closed. 

 

“I already said I will,” Niles whispers just as softly. 

 

“Say it again.”

 

Niles chuckles at him. He lifts his hands up to straighten the black band in Leo’s hair. “I’ve been yours from the day we met, and I want to be yours until the day I die. I want to marry you.” 

 

“Alright, once more.” 

 

“Pardon me?” Niles scoffs. “How many times will it take to satisfy you?” 

 

Leo chuckles. “I won’t be able to boss you around when you’re my equal. I’ve got to hear it a few times while I can still order you to say it.” 

 

Niles rolls his eye and Leo can feel warmth filling up his heart. He kisses Leo’s lips one more, short time. “You’ll never have to force me to tell you that I love you. I’ll tell you every day for the rest of forever.” He settles with his forehead on Leo’s, and Leo breathes in and out in a happy sigh. He nods.

 

“I love you, Niles. Now let’s go tell the rest of Nohr as much.” 


End file.
